Biometrics in Aviation

I’ve mentioned before the growing interest in technology that our society has taken. Augmented and virtual reality are both taking the video game and entertainment industry by storm, autonomous driving and electric vehicles are the focal point of the automotive industry and almost every adult in the world has a smartphone either in hand or in their pocket. Technology has breached every market and industry in the world, and the airline industry is no exception.

Obviously, a major issue with both the airline and aviation industries is safety. We have all flown on an airplane at least once in our lives and we all know how nerve-racking or stressful the process can be, and that’s without worrying about your own personal safety. It seems as if technology could offer solutions to these problems. Biometrics are the latest trend to sweep the airline industry.

What are biometrics?

Biometrics are, in essence, the use of technology or computer software and hardware to authenticate and identify human information. Some of the most popular examples of biometrics include fingerprint scanners, facial recognition and voice recognition. And this is exactly the same technology that is being implemented in airlines across the world.

Just recently, JetBlue Airways announced that it will utilize biometrics sometime in June for passenger identification, specifically in Logan International Airport in Boston and Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba. And if that wasn’t enough, Delta Airlines has also begun testing biometrics in the form of fingerprint scanning. This has been reserved specifically for its Delta Sky Club Members, but the technology could make its way to the economy class.

This technology can not only help greatly increase security, it can also improve speed and efficiency. One of the largest gripes against airports is the infuriating amount of time it takes to simply get to the gate. With biometrics, passengers can go through check-in and security screenings much faster than before, due to either fingerprint or facial recognition, thus making the process much less stressful.

Technology has certainly proved to be a boon to human society, and biometrics is just another way that it is helping create a smoother, faster and more efficient society. And as somebody who travels quite frequently, I am more than thrilled for the possibilities.

Dave Pflieger is currently the CEO of Island Air and previously the President and CEO of Silver Airways. Previously, Dave Pflieger was the CEO & Managing Director of Air Pacific (later Fiji Airways). Before joining Air Pacific, Mr. Pflieger was a Founding Officer and Senior Vice President at Virgin America from 2004 to 2010.